Network Credentials

Question

Can anyone tell me why my new Windows 11 computer is asking for "network credentials"? When I try to access a shared folder from another computer, it presents me with a login screen and asks for my login ID and password. I purposely never set "credentials" on this computer, to avoid this very problem. Could it by any chance be asking for my Microsoft Account credentials? Nope, I tried those, and I get the same error : \[COMPUTER NAME] is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this resource, Contact the Administrator, blah blah blah.

Now, why would I not have permission to access my own freakin' computer?

***Move from Windows / Windows 11 / Security and privacy***

Answer 1

Hello,

I recommend that you use Registry Editor to enable Insecure guest login, see the following steps:

1. Open Registry Editor. Go to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LanmanWorkstation.

Note: If the key does not exist, you need to create it. Hold down the "Windows" key (right-click), select "New" > "Key" and name the switch "LanmanWorkstation".

2. Hold down the "LanmanWorkstation" key (right-click), select "New" > "DWORD (32-bit) Value" and name it "AllowInsecureGuestAuth". Double-click, set "Value Data" to "1", and press Enter.

Note If you modify the registry incorrectly, you can cause serious problems. So, follow these steps carefully. For additional protection, back up the registry before modifying it. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, see Backing up and restoring the registry in Windows.

Best Reagrds

Zunhui

Answer 2

You gotta be kidding me. That seems like a pretty intense solution for what should be an easy problem to correct. Yes, I have experience editing the registry.. but I sure don't like the idea of tinkering with the plumbing. Is there no easier way to tell my computer that I am authorized to use it? Seems like that should be a function in user management or something.

Answer 3

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your response, windows 11 requires credentials by default for guest users to access shared files, and because insecure guest logins are not authenticated, important security features such as SMB signing and SMB encryption are disabled. As a result, clients that allow insecure guest logins are vulnerable to various man-in-the-middle attacks that can lead to data loss, data corruption, and exposure to malware. In addition, anyone on the network can access any data written to the file server using an insecure Guest login. Microsoft recommends disabling insecure Guest logins and configuring the file server to require authenticated access.

Best Reagrds

Zunhui

Answer 4

Oooooooooooh, what a tangled web we weave......

OK. Will comply, will advise results soonest.

Thank you.

Answer 5

Enter your phone number without the country code or hyphens. Bypass the password entirely. This logs into the network. Please don't ask me how it works, but it works!